Always
by XVIII
Summary: AU Obi/Ami. R/R pleez!! *Chapter 5 loaded* Obi's mistake leads to a loved one's death...
1. First Glance

Title: Always

Author: XVIII

Rating: PG13

Setting: A/U

Pairing: Obi/Ami

Summary: Obi-Wan and Amidala meet for the first time.

Archive: Ask me first!

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in this story. They belong to Mr. Lucas. 

Chapter 1: First Glimpse

"But master! I-"

"Padawan. This training will help you become a great Jedi someday."

"But this is so boring!" Fifteen-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi glared resiliently at his Master.

Qui-Gon Jinn smiled gently at his apprentice.

"I was just like you when I was your age. But you mustn't forget how old you are turning soon…"

Obi-Wan sighed.

"Sixteen, master."

"And what happens when a padawan learner turns sixteen?"

Obi-Wan bowed his head in defeat.

"My first solo mission. I understand now, master."

"Good. Then we must get back to training."

~ - ~ - ~

"But it's so _boring_!" 

"Young lady, training is essential to becoming a good ruler." Lt. Panaka reprimanded the newly turned fifteen girl in front of him and received a glare in return.

"How hard is it to be queen anyway?! Its not like anything ever happens in this damn city anyway!"

"Your highness, you _must_ learn to control your language."

Princess Amidala stood up, knocking her chair over.

"I am a _princess_. You are a lieutenant. _You_ listen to _me_. You can't tell me what to do!"

With that, she stormed out of the room, making the two droids attending the door scramble to get out of her way.

Lieutenant Panaka sighed as he watched her retreating back and wondered what the earliest eligible retirement age was.

~ - ~ - ~

Obi-Wan fumbled with his robes as he hurried to ready himself for the party. His master, Qui-Gon Jinn was right beside him.

"Why do I even have to go to this thing anyway? I don't even _like_ Kithara!"

"Padawan, a Jedi's initiation is a-"

"-very sacred thing, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. But still, we don't like the guy, and it wouldn't even make a difference if we were there or not!"

"I'm sure it would make a difference to the girls there who have heard so much about the 'hot' padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi from the girls at Coruscant." Qui-Gon nudged his apprentice in the ribs as he said this.

"Hmph. I'm sure the Coruscant girls are better than the girls at… um…"

"Naboo."

"Right. The Coruscant girls are better than the girls at Naboo!" Obi Wan said.

Qui-Gon laughed. _You obviously have never been to Naboo._

Obi-Wan blanched.

"What?! You mean that you- you did- oh gods I did NOT need to know that… oh my- ARGH!"

Qui-Gon chuckled silently but didn't say anything the rest of the way to the airship.

~ - ~ - ~

Princess Amidala sighed. How much more boring can life get? She was at a boring party for some boring guy that she didn't even know, and all the boring Jedi were there. The music was boring. The food was boring. Even Panaka was getting boring. She stood up to stretch her legs. Maybe a trip to the refreshment table would liven up this party for her. _Heck, _she thought._ ANYTHING would liven this stupid thing up._

She was on her way to the table when she bumped into two Jedi. One had long brown hair that she could see was graying. He was also very tall. His partner was shorter, closer to her height. He also had brown hair, but he had a small braid while the older man's hair flowed freely. They both carried the Jedi weapon – lightsabers.

They passed each other and didn't look back for a few moments until both the princess and the padawan stopped abruptly and did an about-face to face each other. They looked each other up and down until their eyes met, time stood still, and all either of them could think was

**_wow_**_. _

~ - ~ - ~

Obi-Wan snapped back into reality when the band changed tunes to a waltz. The crowd was bustling around, everyone trying to find a partner to dance with. Obi-Wan turned back to the girl, who was now being moved away from him and frantically trying to reach him. He started pushing people out of the way to reach her. He just _had_ to dance with her!

All of a sudden, he was jostled by a fat nobleman and his lightsaber hilt went flying a few feet away. Obi-Wan dove after it. It was being kicked around by people, and Obi-Wan was getting tired of near misses. His impatience finally got the best of him and he grabbed his weapon using the Force. He gave a cry of triumph, but when he looked up, the girl was gone.

Obi-Wan cursed silently and trudged away to find Qui-Gon.

"I didn't even get her name!"

~ - ~ - ~

"No! I didn't even get his name!"

Amidala was getting pushed further and further back. She _had_ to dance with that boy! She felt the jolt of electricity that passed between the two when they looked into each other's eyes. They both could feel the magnetism pulling them closer to each other. She knew he was the One. She _knew_ it.

Even though she tried frantically to reach the Jedi boy, her efforts were futile and she ended up where she started – at the refreshment table. She trudged back to the thrones, where the king and queen were, while she was deeply immersed in thought.

She had no chance.

The figure looming in the shadows behind her grabbed her, covered her mouth, and whisked her away in only a few seconds. No one saw, and her screams were silenced by the hand covering her mouth. She could feel a needle being inserted into her arm. She was being drugged. She couldn't struggle under the man's grasp, and she was getting so sleepy…

No! I have to fight it! I have to…to… 

~ - ~ - ~

Obi-Wan fell to his knees as the pain engulfed him. He tried forcing himself to calm down, but the pain soon engulfed him. He was on the verge of unconsciousness when he felt someone pulling him back. He opened his eyes to see Qui-Gon's concerned face hovering over him.

"Padawan! Are you alright??"

Obi-Wan groaned.

"I think so. That was weird…"

"What happened?"

Obi-Wan shook his head.

"I don't know. I was just walking, and all of a sudden my head started hurting! Was it maybe a-"

"-disturbance in the Force? I don't think so, because only you felt it."

Obi-Wan's brows furrowed as the thought.

"Must've just been a headache. Nothing important. Sorry to worry you, master."

Qui-Gon nodded. He wasn't so sure it was "just a headache", but for now, he would put it aside and have some fun for a change.

Together, master and padawan walked to the dance floor, both hoping to find someone to dance with, and both unaware of the danger slowly creeping upon them and the rest of the galaxy.


	2. Missions

Title: Always

Author: XVIII

Rating: PG13

Setting: A/U

Pairing: Obi/Ami

Summary: Obi-Wan goes on a dangerous mission…

Archive: Ask me first!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything belongs to Mr. Lucas.

Chapter 2: Missions

"Happy Birthday, Obi-Wan!" Corro-Phay walked over to talk with her best friend. "How does it feel to be sixteen? Sixteen's when you get more freedom – you get to do what you want, maybe try new things?" She waggled her eyebrow suggestively.

Obi-Wan couldn't help but laugh. Corro-Phay and Obi-Wan met when they were both ten. She was an energetic girl who was two months younger than Obi-Wan. She was a several inches shorter than Obi-Wan, and he remembered that when he had first met her he wondered how someone so small could have so much energy. He could even see it in her sky blue eyes, which seemed to cackle with electricity.

Her platinum blond hair completed her. At night, the moon reflected off it, giving it a tranquil look that seemed to reflect in her eyes. During the day, though, the sun made her hair look like the lightning that intensified the spark in her eyes.

Another thing about Corro-Phay was that one could always know what her mood was just by looking at her eyes. At the moment, she was hungry. When Obi-Wan heard his own stomach grumble, he could tell that he was too.

"C'mon, Cor… let's go get some cake. I'm starved!"

"Oh yeah. I forgot! You haven't eaten in a while, have you? That was pretty harsh, what Master Jinn did when you-"

"Excuse me?"

Two pairs of eyes looked up at the speaker and two feet took a step back.

"Master Jinn!" I was…uh… just wishing Obi here a happy birthday! I… um… better be going now. I think I hear my master calling!" Corro-Phay put her hand to her ear. 

"Yep, that's her! Nice talking to you, gottagobye!" 

And she was gone.

Obi-Wan didn't know anyone could run that fast. He turned to Qui-Gon only to see a smirk not unlike Obi-Wan's on his face. When Qui-Gon noticed Obi-Wan looking at him, his face turned somber.

"Padawan, I have news on your mission." Qui-Gon paused briefly, then continued.

"As you know, the mission you are about to embark on will be quite dangerous. You will have no one there to protect you if the need arises. You must remember, though, you will be graded on how well you do on this mission, and this will help to determine your future."

"Yes, I know already! Can you please just tell me what my mission is?!" Obi-Wan was getting impatient.

Qui-Gon sighed. The boy was too reckless and headstrong. He had let it go in the past, but now it might be too late to teach him now.

"Master!" Obi-Wan brought Qui-Gon back to reality. "My mission?"

Qui-Gon nodded.

"Well…."

~ - ~ - ~

"SURVEILLANCE?! That's my mission?! Surveillance?!"

Qui-Gon sighed. It was so difficult dealing with this boy.

"I thought you said it was supposed to be hard and… and… dangerous and I could die or something! But surveillance?! C'mon! I- I- ARGH!!!"

"Padawan, you are going to _Kessel_. You know what kind of creatures live in Kessel."

Obi-Wan sighed in defeat. He knew he wasn't going to win this one.

"Yes, master. When will I leave?"

"Tonight."

~ - ~ - ~

Obi-Wan looked around. The ship was boarding soon and if he was late, he would miss the mission and doom any possibility that he could be a Jedi. He had been told to wait here, but there was no sign of her anywhere. He was getting worried for both his friend and himself.

"Obi!"

Obi-Wan turned around to come face-to-face with Corro-Phay.

"I heard you were gonna leave tonight and I just wanted to… well, to say goodbye." Obi-Wan noticed a tear forming in her eye. He smiled sympathetically.

He pulled her into his arms as she started sobbing.

"Hey Cor, don't cry! I'm gonna miss you too, but I'm going to be back soon. It's just some stupid surveillance thing they're making me do! I'll be back soon! Please don't cry!"

Corro-Phay dried her tears, even though she had a chilly feeling in her stomach that she might never see Obi-Wan again.

"It's just that… well, without you, the Temple sure won't be the same!" She forced a smile to try to mask her feelings, but Obi-Wan knew better. He didn't want to pry, though, so he turned to leave.

"Bye, Cor! I'll see you in a couple of weeks, okay?"

"Obi, Wait!"

Obi-Wan turned to face her again, a puzzled look on his face.

"I just wanted to say…. Um… I…" instead of finishing her sentence, she grabbed him and kissed him passionately and fully on the lips.

"Promise me you'll come back." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Obi-Wan was backing away slowly, still trying to comprehend what just happened. When he heard the sound of the ship readying its engines, he smiled at Corro-Phay briefly before running off to the shuttle.

_I promise_.

~ - ~ - ~

Obi-Wan was bored. 

Every day for the past week he had been going to the same cantina keeping a subtle watch on the same guy for the same reason. Unfortunately, that reason was unbeknownst to him, which made this mission all the more boring. And plus, he was underage, so he couldn't drink anything because it was all alcohol, or eat anything because all the food items were loaded with alcohol.

If only he could be back on Coruscant at the Jedi Temple. Master Yoda would be there, most likely talking with Master Windu or Qui-Gon. The other Jedi would be there, talking with their padawans or with other Jedi. A few padawans would be dueling for practice in the field or training with remotes. All his friends would be there, and he would be there, and Cor would be there.

_Cor._

Had the kiss even meant anything? Was Cor just- 

A sudden movement from the table in front of him interrupted his thoughts. A man was angrily banging his mug on the wooden table. He could barely make out what the man was yelling.

"I told you not to harm the princess! We have to-" 

Then, remembering that he was in a cantina filled with people, his loud voice turned into a whisper. But Obi-Wan was intrigued. He knew he wasn't supposed to eavesdrop using the Force, but this might have turned out important.

"Do you know how much she is worth?! The Nubian government would make us rich just to get the princess back! If they find her harmed, what do you think they're going to do to us? Now, when we get back there, if you harm even ONE hair, you'll be dead so fast you won't even have time to scream."

Obi-Wan recoiled in shock. The Nubian princess?! The Nubian princess was kidnapped last week after the Jedi Knighthood ceremony! Obi-Wan thought quickly. What would he do? The princess needed rescuing, but he couldn't forget the mission he had already, could he?

_Well_, Obi-Wan reasoned,_ is the princess more important than this Jango guy I'm supposed to be watching? Of course! And besides, this guy isn't doing anything important and the princess is! Well, once she gets rescued she will be doing important stuff again._

These reasons were good enough for him. He waited until he sensed the men were going to leave, then got up himself and followed them into their ship. He stowed away in the cargo bay of the surprisingly large transport, hoping that nobody or nothing would sense him. He closed his eyes and meditated the rest of the way there.

~ - ~ - ~

The ship lurched, causing Obi-Wan to wake from his peaceful slumber. He heard voices all the way from the cockpit.

"Damn, Broar! How can you overheat the engines _after_ you land?!"

"Sorry, Boss, but I don't know what happened either! I think it just happened by itself maybe!" 

"Whatever! Just go out there and fix it! We need the ship tomorrow for the-"

BAM!

"Dammit!"

"Okay, Boss, I'll go…"

Obi-Wan heard the sound of the hatch hissing open, then carefully made his way toward the exit. Once he sensed that Broar had left the ship and started repairs on the engines, he carefully made his way out and into the middle of nowhere. The wind blew his hair askew and the sand gusts constantly slammed into his face.

He protected himself using his sleeve and made his way to the only building visible in this wasteland. It wasn't very large, in fact, it was only a small hut, and so Obi-Wan decided that probably only the princess was held in there.

He slowly made his way over to the door and opened it. He gazed around the contents of the small house and was surprised that there was no princess. He double-checked and discovered a door handle on the floor, and as he trotted over slowly he could sense a life form under the boards. Of course.

He carefully strode over to the board and lifted the handle. He promptly recoiled in shock from what, or rather _who_ he saw.

"_YOU'RE _the princess?!"

~ - ~ - ~

A resilient Amidala stared back at him.

"Of course I'm the princess! Who did you think…I…was?" Her sentence trailed off as she recognized the boy standing above her. It was _him_. The boy from the ceremony. She had ached to be with him then, and she felt some of that ache returning. At the moment, though, she knew she had to contain the ache and focus on the situation at hand.

She took his hand and was lifted out of the cellar with a little help from what she suspected was the Force.

~ - ~ - ~

Obi-Wan lifted her up from the mucky cellar, and at once he could feel a disturbance in the Force. He released her hand from his grip and ignited his lightsaber. The electric-blue blade shimmered to life with a snap-hiss, and the princess stared in awe of the padawan's weapon.

"Shh!" Obi-Wan quieted the girl standing beside him. "I sense danger!"

"Heh…" The sound of malicious laughter filled the room.

Obi-Wan could hear a blaster being cocked and loaded and wondered how he always managed to get himself in trouble so often.

"Danger is right."


	3. Rescue and Capture

Title: Always

Author: XVIII

Rating: PG13

Setting: A/U

Pairing: Obi/Ami

Summary: Obi-Wan goes on a dangerous mission…

Archive: Ask me first!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything belongs to Mr. Lucas.

Authors Note: Sorry I took so long in getting this out, but here it is… enjoy! BTW- the new Star Wars movie is SOOO GOOD!!!! Go see it! And if you have already, go see it again!

Oh, and thoughts are indicated by asterisks ( * * ) now instead of italics.

Chapter 3: Rescue and Capture

Obi-Wan slowly turned to face their attacker. Obi-Wan could tell that the man was Broar by his dimwit-like voice. He was a large man with brown eyes, no hair, and half a brain. *One-fourth of a brain*, Obi-Wan changed his mind as the man suddenly tripped on air. He looked at the princess, her expression seemed to border between amusement and pity.

Obi-Wan sheathed his lightsaber but kept it firmly in his grasp because he felt that they weren't out of trouble yet. He took the princess by the hand and, after kicking Broar once in the stomach, stepped over him on his way out.

He stopped when he heard the princess scream in surprise and break from their grasp. Her hand went flailing when Broar grabbed her ankle and pulled to make her fall down. Obi-Wan, acting on pure Jedi reflex, stuck his arms out and caught the princess before she hit the ground. He lifted her upright, and, after she muttered a thanks (and blushed furiously), he turned to hit Broar again. He was far too slow.

By the time he turned around, the princess had already thrown several punches and quite a few kicks and Broar was out like a light. Obi-Wan could only gape in shock. The princess smirked at him before getting impatient and telling him,

"Let's go already!"

The Jedi padawan smacked himself upside the head mentally. _I can be SO idiotic sometimes!_

"I'm sorry, milady." He apologized and escorted her outside.

~ - ~ - ~

Princess Amidala hated feeling helpless, which she seemed to be feeling a lot in the last few days. Unable to fight back, unable to resist when she was kidnapped, unable to free herself from captivity, unable to lead the way, unable to do anything!

She was getting exhausted. They had been wandering for hours in the desert. Neither the Jedi or she knew where they were and her strength was quickly ebbing. She hadn't eaten in roughly a week, and she was dead tired. She looked at the Jedi next to her. If he was as tired as she was, he sure didn't show it.

She looked into his eyes, pleading silently for him to stop. 

The Jedi frowned, as if reading her thoughts.

"Milady, we mustn't stop. Not until we find safe haven."

A few steps later, she knew her strength was gone. She couldn't help it, she was so tired, but after her next step, she felt her legs go out from under her and she saw her world turn black as she fell.

~ - ~ - ~

Obi-Wan gave a mild cry of surprise when the princess collapsed, but he still managed to catch her before she hit the ground. He knew she was exhausted; he was on the verge of collapse himself, but he knew he had to keep going for both of them.

Even in her unconscious state, she was still tossing and trying to get loose from Obi-Wans grasp. He tried to get her to calm down by probing her thoughts, but what he saw inside almost made him recoil in shock. The sadness, frustration, and anger welled inside her and her fears raged around her mind. She was having a nightmare.

Obi-Wan immediately sent out calming thoughts to her. His wordless thoughts soothed her and her stirring eventually stopped. Her breathing steadied. She unconsciously snuggled in closer to Obi-Wan, but he took no notice and continued on toward anywhere.

~ - ~ - ~

Amidala's consciousness returned before she opened her eyes, but she wanted to keep them closed anyway. She felt refreshed after her slumber, which normally didn't happen. She knew the Jedi probably had something to do with it and wanted to thank him. 

The princess got up and looked around. They were in a nice comfortable room, no doubt in an inn. So the Jedi had found a safe haven. She smiled as she observed her surroundings. The sun shone through a window, plants and flowers covered the wall, and her big, comfortable bed was in the middle of it all. A small cistern was in the corner, and she bent over, took the water, and drank it thirstily.

She took another cupful of water and splashed it on her face to awaken her more, then walked outside to the lobby, where she was greeted by the innkeeper.

"Ugh… where am I?"

The innkeeper looked her up and down and then smiled hungrily, causing Amidala to feel uneasiness.

"You're in Mos Eisely, Tatooine. The Traveler's Inn. Best Tabarian Beer in the galaxy!"

Amidala took a step back. The place was beginning to creep her out.

"Where did the Jedi go?" 

"Ah, you're with the Jedi boy. He was concerned about you. He'll be glad to see you up!"

He still looked like he wanted to eat Amidala when he smiled at her again.

Amidala pasted a polite smile on her face and then glanced around for the Jedi boy.

*Where IS he, anyway?* 

"I'm right here," The Jedi boy walked in, startling her. She didn't even know he was behind her! 

*What? I didn't say anything out loud! Did he just read my thoughts? But how…?*

~ - ~ - ~

*What? I didn't say anything out loud! Did he just read my thoughts? But how…?* 

He could've sworn that she had just said that out loud. But if she hadn't…? Had he just read her mind?

*But… how?* 

"How what?" The princess turned her eyes on Obi-Wan. Her eyes shot up when she realized what she just did.

"Did I- did I just… read your mind?! How'd I do that?! Was it some… Jedi mind thing or something?!" From the look of it, she was beginning to panic.

*Jedi mind thing…* 

Obi-Wan gasped. He realized what was going on. He grabbed the surprised princess's hand and led her out the door.

"Come with me. We need a more private place to talk."

~ - ~ - ~

The two decided on a cave about a half a mile away from the inn. It wasn't especially large; it was the perfect place to hide out in: Enough room for one or two people, high enough so nobody would hit his or her head, and it was completely dark.

"Well, Jedi, what did you want to talk to me about?" The princess inquired. She wasn't very happy at the moment, being dragged out into the desert and not knowing why.

"You remember what happened before, right?"

"Of course!" She wasn't stupid, and she was getting indignant. How long was this Jedi going to hold out on her? She was scared; she had just read someone's thoughts accidentally and wanted to know why.

"Well, I'm not sure about this, but we may be experiencing a 'Force-bond'. I don't know when this happens, but it's between two people who share an experience together, like a Master and his Padawan, or… um… two friends, or… or… two lovers or something!" He paused as another thought struck him.

"Both of them also have to have a high medichlorian count… high enough to be a Jedi…"

The Jedi stared at the princess intently, making her uncomfortable. He took out a gadget from that large cloak of his and showed it to her.

"This will determine your count… standard issue, given to every Jedi Master. It'll just take a little of your blood, and, don't worry, it won't hurt that much." He gave her a reassuring smile, but she still had doubts.

"Wait… if only Jedi Masters have them, and you're not a Jedi Master yet, how'd you get one?"

The Jedi gave her his most charming grin.

"I swiped it from Qui-Gon… And, yes, I know how it works," he said, again seemingly reading her thoughts, "just stick your hand straight out."

She complied, and he placed the device on her forearm. She felt a small pinch when her blood was drawn, but that was all.

After a few seconds, he removed the device and put it back somewhere in his cloak.

"The results will be ready in a few minutes," the Jedi told her. "Don't be so nervous, it's not a test or anything!" He smiled gently, teasing her, and his face suddenly became grim and his senses became alert.

"What's the matter?" Amadala asked him. She was getting worried because she had never seen anybody as apprehensive as the Jedi was at the moment. She turned to him for reassurance, but he couldn't offer any.

"I… I think we may have stumbled into a Hutt lair…" He took her hand and began backing toward the exit when he heard the laugh.

The Hutt laugh.

Amidala grabbed onto the Jedi's left arm and clung to it tightly, while the Jedi took out his weapon from his belt and ignited the light-sword.

Light suddenly flooded the room when two stones mysteriously disappeared, allowing the two to see what was inside. A grotesque greenish-yellow creature was in the middle of the room, surrounded by other ugly alien creatures. The greenish-yellow creature laughed again, causing a chilly feeling to consume Amidala's stomach.

"Wh-What IS that thing?!"

The Jedi scowled at the creature while still backing away.

"That's a Hutt. One of the most vile, despicable creatures in the universe. They're gangsters and practically own Tatooine."

"What do we do?"

"Stay together, don't panic, and…" The Jedi glanced at the two guards now blocking the entrance, back to the ensemble of creatures in front of him, and put both hands on his weapon, releasing his grip on Amidala. She gave him a panicked look.

"And what?!" 

He pulled her close to him as the aliens pounced.

"… and prepare for the worst."


	4. Interlude 1: Planning

Title: Always

Author: XVIII

Rating: PG13

Setting: A/U

Pairing: Obi/Ami

Summary: An interlude…

Archive: Ask me first!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything belongs to Mr. Lucas.

Interlude 1: Planning

The General looked out from the bridge of his gigantic cruiser. He hated waiting, but his time would soon come.

Soon…

"General, the fleet is ready!" A humanoid creature reported to the General as the creature entered the bridge. He took his place at the General's side as the stars flew behind them at lightspeed. A crew of over two hundred people bustled around the ship, coming in and out of the bridge.

"What is the count?" The General asked in a deep monotone that sent a chill down the creature's spine.

"We have about two hundred Mandalorian destroyers, sixty transports, seventeen cruisers, and about a thousand droid fighters ready, sir."

"Good. Are the troops ready to fight?"

"Yes, General. Everyone is ready."

The General smiled a wicked, twisted smile.

"Good. Is _he_ ready?"

"Docking Bay Four, sir. He wishes to talk to you himself."

"Good. Stay here."

The General briskly walked out the door and into the vast hallways that connected the ship's rooms together.

~ - ~ - ~

"Ah, good, you have made it." The doors closed behind the General as he entered the docking bay. A tall man with brown hair and a stubby beard greeted him with a slight nod. He was fully clothed in armor and two blasters hung at his side.

"You are ready to lead our forces in the attack, are you not?"

The man just nodded. He placed his helmet over his head, giving him a more intimidating look than before. The silver of the helmet and armor gleamed off the lights. The General nodded curtly.

"Very well. You may proceed. May the gods be with you and may victory come to us," the General said, reciting a Mandalorian ritual.

"Yes, thank you," the other man said, "and thanks for the armor, too."

He pressed a button on his gauntlet and the ramp on his ship lowered down for him. He walked up, and before shutting the door, he gave the General a final salute before climbing into the cockpit, powering up the ship, and blasting off.

After the vessel had exited, the General turned to his lieutenant, who had just entered the room.

"Do you really think that this _human_ will be a capable leader?"

The General smiled his evil smile.

"Of course. Why else do you think I selected him? This Jango Fett is one of the most dangerous people in the universe. I'm sure he will lead our troops admirably."

"Yes, my lord. We will be victorious."

The General smiled again as the lieutenant walked away.

*Yes we will,* he thought, looking at his robotic left arm. He flexed his fingers and gripped his blaster.

*Revenge will be sweet.*


	5. Escape From the Desert Planet

Title: Always

Author: XVIII

Rating: PG13

Setting: A/U

Pairing: Obi/Ami

Summary: Amidala looks for a way to escape…

Archive: Ask me first!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything belongs to Mr. Lucas.

Always Four: Escape from the Desert Planet

The hutt mumbled something to the translator droid. The droid's golden plating was smothered in some sort of green slime; the gold itself seemed worn and had many scratches. His optical sensors were dull, unlike the shiny yellowish sensors a new droid would have. His wiring was exposed in several places.

All in all, the droid looked like it was picked up from the junkyard.

"Greetings. I am C3P0. I am fluent in over three m-"

The hutt bellowed at the droid.

"Yes, I am dreadfully sorry."

He turned to Obi-Wan and the princess. 

"Jabba the Hutt demands that you surrender immediately. Otherwise…"

Two rather large pig-like guards grabbed the princess and several blasters were pointed at her.

"Otherwise, she will die."

Obi-Wan sighed in defeat as he de-ignited his lightsaber. There was no way he could take on at least fifty men without at least one of them getting a shot at the princess. He had rescued her, and now it was his job to protect her. The best way to do that right now was to surrender.

The hutt laughed triumphantly. He gestured and spoke again to the translator droid, who then said,

"Take the Jedi away and strip him of his weapon, but leave the girl here. She will be my new slave."

~ - ~ - ~

Amidala watched helplessly as the Jedi was chained up and led away from her. She started to cry out in protest, but the two guards restraining her pulled her hard and she fell to the floor. She looked at the Jedi one more time and shot him a look of desperation as he met her gaze. His eyes were filled with sorrow, regret, and guilt. He broke the gaze when the guards shoved him roughly, with only the force preventing him from falling.

She saw the Jedi give her one last look before a guard pushed him down the stairs. She heard him yelp in pain, and her eyes filled with concern for herself and her companion. She was taken away herself into another room.

"You become slave of Jabba. Must wear this."

One of the guards pointed to a rather revealing outfit and a collar with a large chain attached to it. The brown leather was decorated with golden patterns. The outfit would only cover up her private areas, leaving the rest of her body bare. She was horrified.

*Milady, can you hear me?* 

She gasped. The Jedi was communicating to her through their bond! 

_*I should have thought of that earlier!*_ She admonished herself.

_*Pardon?*_ The Jedi was genuinely puzzled.

_*Never mind. Yes, I can hear you.*****_

_*Good*_, the Jedi said. *_Listen, do whatever they tell you to do. We need to lay low for a few more minutes and then I'm getting us out of here.*_

Amidala was scandalized.

_*You want me to put on THIS?!* _She pictured the outfit in her head.

*Gah! Um… well, just do it for now. Don't worry, I'll get us out soon. I promise. I'm just gonna get my lightsaber back and we'll improvise from there.*

_*Improvise?!*_ The princess reluctantly took the suit from its hanger. She found it difficult to have a conversation in her head while changing and walking. She glared at the guards, who turned around, giving her some privacy. 

_*Wait, where are you now?*_ Amidala asked.

*I'm in the dungeon. With a wookie. His name is Chewbacca, and I think he can help us get off of this planet once we escape.*

*Good*, said the princess, thinking that the conversation was over.

The Jedi's voice popped into her head again.

*Where are **you**?*

The princess looked around. There was nothing on the brown walls and a wooden door separated the tiny room from the rest of the rooms.

*I don't really know. Some small room. Not the main room, though.*

*OK, good*, the Jedi said. *Stay there until I come for you.*

And just like that, the link was broken.

~ - ~ - ~

Obi-Wan sighed. After explaining the plan to the princess, all he had to do was execute it. Of course, that was the hard part. He had to use his mind tricks to retrieve his lightsaber, and once he burst into the main room, all hell would probably break loose. Luckily, he had a wookie on his side.

He had been put in the same cell as a wookie named Chewbacca. It was fairly difficult to communicate with him because Obi-Wan couldn't understand wookie language so he needed to stick to "yes" or "no" questions. He had only found out the wookie's name when a guard mentioned it.

"Hey, Chewie!" Obi-Wan called the wookie over using the nickname he just thought up and decided he liked. "Once I get the door open, do you think you can take out the two guards down here?"

Chewie snorted and nodded yes. Obi-Wan smiled.

"Alright, here we go!"

As the first guard made his hourly patrol, Obi-Wan beckoned to him. The pig-like guard trotted over to their cell, wondering what the prisoners wanted this time.

"Do you know where my lightsaber is?" Obi-Wan asked the guard. When the guard nodded, Obi-Wan grinned.

"Good. Now you will go get my lightsaber and bring it back to me," Obi-Wan commanded with a wave of his hand.

"I will go get your lightsaber and bring it back to you," the guard repeated in grunts that sounded close enough to what Obi-Wan had said. He trotted off and returned with Obi-Wan's lightsaber a few minutes later. He handed it to Obi-Wan and trotted away again, still dazed and unaware what happened.

Obi-Wan grinned as a blade as electric blue as his eyes rose from the handle of his sword.

~ - ~ - ~

A few minutes later, the two guards on the dungeon level were unconscious and Obi-Wan and Chewbacca were headed for the upper level and the main room. Unfortunately, the hatch was about fifteen feet above Chewbacca's head. Chewbacca could make the jump easily, but Obi-Wan needed to get up there first to deflect laser blasts.

"Whoa! Steady!" Obi-Wan teetered on Chewbacca's shoulders. He could probably make the jump from where he was with a little help from the Force, but he needed to be safe.

"Just a little higher!"

Chewbacca looked up. The boy was high enough! He bellowed in protest and Obi-Wan looked down.

"Fine, I'll jump from here. Just keep it down!"

Obi-Wan barely caught the ledge and he dangled there for a few seconds. Then, using the Force, he jumped again, landing safely on the floor. He ignited his lightsaber quickly and deflected the oncoming laser blasts back at his attackers. He used the Force to push three guards into a wall, knocking them unconscious, and stole a few blasters, tossing two back to Chewie, who started taking out guards of his own.

They battled their way into the main room slashing and shooting. Obi-Wan sent more guards into a wall. Jabba was yelling at his guards to get up when Chewie silenced the last of them. Obi-Wan then reestablished his link with the princess.

~ - ~ - ~

*Princess!*

Amidala's head shot up. She was waiting in the small room until Jabba the Hutt called for her. The two guards were sleeping and snoring. Loudly. She was cold and tired, but she couldn't fall asleep because of said snoring and coldness. Her back ached and her cuts stung. She was dirty too. The ground that she was sitting on was muddy and she had been thrown down there several times already. She felt like crying. Who knew how much longer she would be stuck in that place?

*Princess!* The Jedi interrupted her self-pity marathon.

*Princess, I need you to go outside to the main room. I'm a little busy at the moment, so you'll need to get out by yourself.*

*I can't!* The princess replied. *I'm chained up to these guards, and they're asleep right now!*

*Okay,* the Jedi sighed. *Just wait right there; I'll come and get y-*

Suddenly, the Jedi flew through her door and slammed into the wall right next to her. His laser sword landed dangerously close to Amidala's right foot. She watched as the Jedi shook himself to regain his bearings, and then dusted himself off. He picked up his weapon and said

"Ow. Okay, don't move, you'll be out in just a second."

He used his blade to slice through the chains that held her captive and together the two ran outside to where Chewbacca stood alone. Jabba the Hutt was eerily still and slumped over and the room was quiet.

Her attention turned to the seven-foot-tall furball next to the Jedi.

"Who's the walking carpet?"

The Jedi chuckled at the beast, which seemed to glare at the Jedi.

"Princess, this is Chewbacca. He helped get us out of the dungeon."

Amidala grimaced. She really needed to learn how to control her mouth.

"Oh, sorry! Nice to meet you, Chewbacca."

She stuck out her hand and was slightly concerned that she had offended him when he was hesitant to shake it. When he did, she realized why. He had a gaping wound in his side. It was bleeding and it looked bad.

"Oh no! You're hurt!" She inspected the wound and the Jedi walked over to her.

"It's not that bad, but it'll need some medical attention. Let's get out of here first, though."

The trio headed out, led by Chewbacca with the Jedi guarding the rear, Amidala at his side.

"Wait!"

~ - ~ - ~

Obi-Wan looked around. The tinny voice didn't belong to the princess, and he knew that Chewie couldn't speak. He sensed no other life forms in the area.

*Who could it be, then?* He wondered.

"Oh my! Please help me! I seem to be buried underneath all these dreadful stones."

Obi-Wan used his Jedi super-hearing to locate the source of the sound. He ran over to a corner of the room, the princess and Chewie close behind. There, a tarnished golden hand was sticking out of the rubble. Obi-Wan and Chewie quickly lifted the larger stones and tossed them away, and the princess lifted up the translator droid up.

"Ah, thank you. Greetings. I am C3PO, fluent in over three million languages."

Obi-Wan nodded a greeting, while the princess said,

"Nice to meet you… Threepio." And Chewie bellowed a greeting.

"Ah, yes. It is nice to meet you all as well. Now may we leave? I've never liked this place."

Obi-Wan nodded.

"Alright, let's go."

~ - ~ - ~

They had found Chewie a healer in Mos Eisley. She was an old woman and appeared nice, but Obi-Wan was wary all the same. He heard it was hard to trust anyone on Tatooine, and he wasn't giving the healer an exception. Now he was faced with a difficult choice: he could either stay and get in trouble and get stripped of the Jedi title, or he could leave his friend alone with a strange old lady.

He turned to look at Threepio.

*Perfect!*

He would use option number three: find someone that he trusted enough to care for his friend so he wouldn't be alone with a strange old lady, and Obi-Wan would be able to go home and continue his training.

*Yes,* he admitted to himself. *I guess I am a genius!*

"Hey, Threepio. Do you think you will be able to watch over Chewie while we go?"

"Oh, most undoubtedly! Did I mention to you that I know over three hundred meditation and healing techniques?"

Chewie groaned, causing Threepio to stop mid-rant.

"Er… he said 'Why are you doing this to me?'"

Obi-Wan laughed.

"Don't worry, Chewie. I'm sure Threepio will take excellent care of you."

Chewie then let out a series of barks and grunts and Threepio translated.

"As a debt of gratitude, Chewbacca has offered to lend you a ship so you will be able to leave Tatooine. He says to go to dock four at the Mos Eisley cantina and you will find the ship. They will let you take it if you say that 'Solo' has sent you. You will be able to use the ship as long as you want until you see him again, for master Chewbacca is certain that you and he will meet again."

"Thanks, Chewie. I'm gonna miss you…" The princess trailed off as Chewie wrapped both Obi-Wan and the princess into a mammoth bear hug. They hugged back.

"Well," Obi-Wan started. "I guess this is it for now. Thanks again, Chewie, and I know we'll meet again. And Threepio, thanks for taking care of Chewie. I know we'll meet again too!"

And with one last goodbye, Obi-Wan and the princess walked off, not looking back.

~ - ~ - ~

"What a piece of JUNK!" The Jedi exclaimed as he looked at the vessel they were going to travel in. Amidala couldn't help but laugh. She had been told that the vessel was called the Millennium Falcon and that it was the fastest ship in the galaxy. That was good enough for her, although it did look like it came straight from the junkyard.

The Jedi sighed.

"Oh, well, I guess it'll do."

He began climbing up the stairs when a thought struck Amidala.

"Wait a minute! Isn't it weird that we've been with each other for about a week and we still don't know each other's names yet?"

"Hmm… that's right! We don't even know each others' name!" He stuck out his hand.

"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Padawan."

Amidala took his hand and shook it.

"I am Amidala, princess of Naboo."

Obi-Wan took her hand and gently kissed it, causing Amidala to blush furiously. A new feeling also erupted inside her – one she never felt before. It scared her, the way she chilled at first when he kissed her, but it was also reassuring, comforting in ways she couldn't explain. She knew that she wanted more of where that came from, though.

The politician inside of her wanted to shut it out and think about it later. The young woman inside of her wanted to find out why she felt the way she did and make those feelings grow. She chose the politician. She didn't want to think about what happened, she wanted to go home first.

"Jed- Obi-Wan, where is our destination?" She called to him.

Obi-Wan stuck his head out from inside the ship.

"Milady, I was-"

Amidala cut him off.

"Amidala, please. It's bad enough that other politicians call me 'queen' or 'milady' and not by my real name, and I don't want to have the my only friend treating me formally too!"

Obi-Wan nodded while biting his lip.

"My apologies. Amidala, I was thinking that we should head to Yavin 4 first. As you know, there is a Jedi base located there and you should be able to get a safe transport back to Naboo and I should be able to get a safe transport back to Coruscant. We can receive food and shelter while we wait."

Amidala nodded. That sounded like a good plan. She boarded the ship and within minutes, the Millennium Falcon headed toward Yavin 4.


	6. Invasion

Title: Always

Author: XVIII

Rating: PG13

Setting: A/U

Pairing: Obi/Ami

Summary: Obi-Wan's mistake leads to a loved one's death…

Archive: Ask me first!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything belongs to Mr. Lucas.

AN: Sorry Ami fans, but this chapter focuses mainly on Obi. It's still pretty vital to the storyline, so I'd still recommend you read it.

AN2: This is a question for you major Star Wars fans out there: Why is it that Obi-Wan disappeared when he was killed by Darth Vader, but Qui-Gon didn't disappear when he was killed by Darth Maul?

AN3: Since this is the end of a story arc, I will take a couple of days to figure out where the fic will go next and plan the other chapters. Don't expect an update to this story for 2-3 days…

Chapter 5: Invasion

Obi-Wan looked out the window as the _Millennium Falcon_ soared toward Yavin 4. He checked their coordinates. They were still a few hours away, which was plenty of time to get to know the princess sitting next to him better. He decided to start with a political topic that had been bothering him for quite some time. He turned to face the monarch.

"I was wondering… doesn't it hurt when you need to sit on that awful throne of yours for more than… say… eight hours at a banquet of some sort and…" He trailed off when he saw the weird look Amidala was giving him.

"Um… nevermind."

The two sat silently for a while until Obi-Wan tactfully decided to change the subject.

"Your people are a democratic people, are you not?"

Amidala nodded yes, wondering where this topic was going.

"Well… if you live in a democracy, how are there kings and queens?"

Amidala nodded again.

"Yes… we get that a lot. The king or queen is elected by the people, not chosen by blood relation or anything like that. Every ten years or so, the present king or queen may choose to run for reelection along with other candidates. That way, the people are able to choose the leader with views closest to their own."

"Yes, I understand that, but why are there princes and princesses as well?"

"The princes and princesses don't really have any ruling power or anything. At a young age, boys and girls are chosen by the Naboo government to learn the ways of the politician. They become princesses and princes until they are sixteen, when they are eligible to become king or queen at the next election. Even if they decline to run, they still become influential politicians because of their training."

She was about to continue when suddenly a sudden jolt shook the ship. A silvery object flew out of Obi-Wan's cloak, but before it could break he pulled it into his hand with the Force. He examined it for a short time, seeming surprised, then turned to Amidala, his eyes inquisitive.

"You say you were taken away by the Nubian government when you were still young. How young were you?" 

She frowned.

"About two or three. Why do you ask?"

Obi-Wan looked at the device he was holding again, then showed it to Amidala.

"Why, your midichlorian count is high enough to be a Jedi! If you had been at your home when the Masters had visited you could have been trained as one! And that is why we've been able to establish the bond that we have!"

Amidala nodded excitedly.

"Wow! Do you think _I_ could be a Jedi? I could have one of those laser-sword-thingies and we could be partners and stuff!"

Obi-Wan shook his head in amusement.

"First of all, the 'laser swords' are called _lightsabers_. And second of all, I'm sorry, but you are much too old to be trained as a Jedi."

"Oh." She seemed surprisingly crestfallen at his answer. When she noticed his concerned gaze, she quickly added,

"It's just that… I've had such a great time with you these past few days, and I could really be myself and not some snobby politician, and… I'm gonna miss that… I'm gonna miss _you_."

Obi-Wan shook his head.

"Don't worry, Amidala. We'll meet again; I am certain of this."

~ - ~ - ~

Obi-Wan smiled that boyish grin that made Amidala melt inside. She shook it off. She wasn't falling for him, she knew that much. It was probably just some schoolgirl crush that she would get over. It couldn't be love…could it?

"Look! There it is… Yavin 4." Obi-Wan pointed to a bluish-green circle rapidly growing larger. Amidala stared at the beauty of the planet. About half of the planet was covered in water, and the rest was a lush green. Even the gray and orange dots circling around the planet looked beautiful.

*Waitaminute. Gray and orange dots?* 

She looked closer as the planet became a giant.

*Were those… ships?* 

She could now see laser blasts being fired rapidly from all directions and fighters zooming, weaving in and out of the action. In the distance, she could see several large ships, no doubt carriers or transports. Explosions lit the darkness.

"Quite a welcoming committee we have, huh?" She asked Obi-Wan jovially. Her smile disappeared when she saw him frozen in shock, his face a mix of anger and terror. She grew concerned when he did not return her smile.

He turned to look at her, a grave expression on his face.

"I think we're… we're under attack!"

~ - ~ - ~

Obi-Wan never felt more panicked in his life. Yavin 4 was under attack! The only structure on the planet was the Jedi base!! He knew he needed to get down there as quickly as possible to help defend their base. He pushed the ship to full power. Amidala looked at him in surprise, but she didn't protest.

He brought the ship down for a smooth landing in a forest near the base and pulled Amidala down under the seats as blaster fire erupted around them.

"Listen to me. You _must_ stay close to me until we reach the Jedi temple, okay?"

She nodded yes and he ignited his lightsaber. He jumped up, deflecting bolts at the attacking humanoids. Obi-Wan pulled Amidala to him and they jumped out of the ship. Obi-Wan stole a blaster using the Force and gave it to the princess.

"Do you know how to fire one of these?"

She glared back.

"Of course I do! What, do you think I'm some sort of Gungan or something? I was trained in the palace in case need arose!"

She proved it by hitting four men with four shots from her blaster. She blew at the smoke coming from the point of the blaster almost boastfully until Obi-Wan yanked her along, still deflecting shots with his saber with one hand while hugging her to him with the other.

They finally made their way to the base, where Obi-Wan could make out master Windu valiantly leading a few Jedi against hundreds of attackers. He ran toward them, relinquishing his hold on Amidala, who ran toward a bunker and started gunning down the creatures. Obi wan jumped and rolled under heavy fire, jumped again, and landed next to a golden-yellow blade that seemed strikingly familiar.

"Obi!"

~ - ~ - ~

Amidala glanced over at Obi-Wan from her position in a bunker. He seemed to be doing fine. She turned her concentration to the humanoids rushing toward them. She recognized the creatures as Mandalorians. They were famous for their armor, which could only be pierced by Mandalorian blasters or lightsabers. Luckily, the side she was fighting for had plenty of lightsabers.

She pulled the trigger several times, but nothing shot out. She checked the pack.

"Damn!"

Her energy cell was out. She would have to steal another blaster or a lightsaber or something. She preferred the lightsaber, but knew that she wasn't trained to use it. When a blade-relishing Mandalorian rushed her, she knocked him unconscious with the butt of her blaster and stole his. She then ducked back into her bunker and started gunning down Mandalorians again.

*Hey, I'm pretty good at this!* 

~ - ~ - ~

Obi-Wan looked up at the sound of his name. He knew that energetic voice! He grinned. It was

"Cor!"

As soon as he stood up he was practically run over by ninety pounds of ecstatic Jedi. He picked himself and Corro-Phay up again and dusted his robes off. His grin was wider than a river when he pulled his best friend into a bear hug.

"It's great to see you again, Cor, but don't you think we still have some business to take care of?"

"Oh, right!" Corro-Phay released her grip on Obi-Wan and ignited her golden-yellow blade as Obi-Wan ignited his electric blue blade. By then, the fighting had died down, and the two young Jedi took out most of the remaining attackers. A triumphant cheer rose among the Jedi as the last of the attackers retreated. Master Windu silenced them.

"We have won this battle, but there is still much fighting left. Come, we must travel into the jungles."

Obi-Wan turned to Amidala, who was trotting over to the Jedi.

"Stay here where it is safe! There will be chaos in the jungles and there is a chance that you might be hurt!"

Amidala shook her head and glared at Obi-Wan.

"No way! Look, if you think that I'm still not going to go after you tell me to stay, you must be crazy! I'm going to go fight in those forests whether it's with you or by myself!"

Obi-Wan sighed. *_Women.*_

He regretted his thought the moment he thought it. He had forgotten that he was outnumbered and that he was broadcasting his thoughts to two young women who could hear them. Obi-Wan was rewarded with two smacks on the back of his head.

"Hey! C'mon, it would've been okay if one of you had hit me first and then the other, but at the same time?!"

Corro-Phay grinned.

"I like her way of thinking. Who _is_ she, by the way?"

Obi-Wan grimaced, rubbing the back of his head.

"Corro-Phay, I'd like to introduce you to Princess Amidala of Naboo. Amidala, this is Corro-Phay, padawan learner and my best friend."

Both young women smiled and immediately started talking about what girls talk about, completely ignoring the young Jedi next to them. They walked off, leaving Obi-Wan standing alone at in their dust. He stared after them.

"Well, they seemed to get along pretty well…" He said to nobody in particular.

He had to sprint to catch up.

~ - ~ - ~

"Obi, we need to talk." Corro-Phay's voice was unusually grim. Obi-Wan knew what she needed to talk about, but he wasn't looking forward to this either. She led him to some bushes away from the rest of the group. Obi-Wan waited patiently as Cor struggled to find the right words. He knew how difficult it would be, so he dreaded the moment. There was also the distinct tingly feeling he got whenever something bad was about to happen…

The silence was broken when two blaster shots rang out from out of nowhere. Two holes appeared in Corro-Phay's chest as she dropped like a rock, a shocked look on her face.

It took a moment for Obi-Wan to register what happened, and in that moment a man wearing a silver helmet with a slit in it jetted down from the sky. He took his helmet off to get a better view of his victory, and that was when Obi-Wan recognized him.

"Oh, gods! No! You're… you're Jango Fett! You killed her! Damn You!"

Jango Fett only chucked as he let loose a flurry of laser shots.

"DAMN YOU!!!"

Obi-Wan was blinded by his anger and rage. He deflected the lasers and aimed them all at Jango. He managed to dodge most of them, but some punctured his armor and he fell too. But Obi-Wan would give him no mercy. He drew on the Dark Side for more power. His force push sent Jango reeling almost off a cliff. Luckily, his hand caught on the edge. Obi-Wan sent boulders crashing after Jango.

Jango came to his senses and activated his booster pack. He floated higher into the sky, boulders and small trees pursuing him. He fired his two blasters at the debris, successfully eradicating all of them. As he flew away, he laughed at the Jedi boy, who was now slumped over in defeat.

~ - ~ - ~

Obi-Wan ran over to his fallen friend. He knew that there was little he could do to save her, but he had to try anyway. He knelt over and lifted his best friend's head up.

"Cor! Cor! Cor, you've gotta hold on! I'll get you out of here! Just hang on!"

"Obi?" Her voice was weak and Obi-Wan could feel her breath fast ebbing. He inspected her wounds. The two shots were clean, cutting two perfect circles into Corro-Phay's body. The intense heat of the lasers had sealed off the wounds, so at least there wouldn't be any blood shed. Still, hopes were grim for his friend.

"Obi, I'm cold… I'm really cold…"

"Shh, Cor! Save your strength! I'll get you outta here real quick. Just hold on, okay?" Obi-Wan was panicking and tears streaked down both their faces.

"I… I'm not sure I can make it…"

"Don't say that, Cor! You'll make it! Don't say that!"

"I… I'm sorry… O…bi…"

"Cor! No! Don't! C'mon, just hang on! You don't have to be sorry for anything, Cor! C'mon, just hang on!! Oh, gods, just hang on!!"

"Obi? I… I… I lo- l lov- lo…" Her head drooped back and her eyes closed. Her chest became still. Her body became limp, and her soul became peaceful.

"Cor? Cor?! Oh god, Cor! Wake up! Please… Don't leave me, Cor! Please!! Oh, gods… Cor, no… Wake up, Cor! Oh gods…" Sobs racked his body as he collapsed in grief on top of his friend.

"I… I love you too."


End file.
